A Flickering Intruder

A shifting patch of gray caught my eye across the wooden desk below. I descended from the bookend in steady hops, landing firmly beside an open notebook. The shape darted whenever the sheer curtain fluttered. I lowered my snout, tracking its perimeter along the ruled lines. Once it paused over a brass paperclip, I snapped forward, pressing my claw against the metallic coil. The shadow rippled over my foot, completely weightless. It wasn't prey, just the window dancing with the afternoon sun.